The Bureau of Land Management North Dakota Field Office has received a right-of-way application from Enable Bakken Crude Services, LLC (EBCS) for a proposed Bear Den Phase 2 pipeline project in McKenzie County and is seeking public comments throughout a 30-day public scoping period. The comment period will end on Jan.17, 2014.

The purpose of this public scoping period is to obtain feedback on relevant issues that may influence the scope of the environmental analysis associated with the project application, including alternatives; and guide the process for developing the Environmental Assessment. EBCS filed a right-of-way application proposing to construct, operate, maintain and decommission the proposed Bear Den Phase 2 Project which would include the construction of an approximately 14 mile-long welded steel crude oil pipeline and an approximately 14 mile-long composite produced water pipeline.

The proposed pipelines would transport oil from existing producing oil wells in McKenzie County to an existing outlet pipeline and transport produced water from the same wells to an existing, approved disposal well. The proposed pipelines would be buried and follow existing pipeline and utility easements to the extent practicable.

The BLM is the designated lead Federal agency for preparation of the EA. The U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are cooperating agencies. The BLM intends to prepare the EA to analyze potential socioeconomic and environmental resource impacts by the proposed project Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended.

The Bureau of Land Management North Dakota Field Office is seeking public comments regarding the proposed Enable Bakken Crude Services, LLC (EBCS) Bear Den Project. The BLM will accept comments on the Environmental Assessment (EA) for a 30-day period which will end on July 6, 2013.

The proposed project would include construction, operation and maintenance of crude oil gathering and produced water conveyance pipelines. The project would gather crude oil from numerous wells in McKenzie and Dunn counties south of Lake Sakakawea, east of Watford City and deposit the oil at a central storage and transfer facility near Highway 85, south of Watford City. The project would also convey produced water from numerous oil wells to a State of North Dakota regulated disposal well.

The EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction of 68.5 miles of three to eight inch diameter welded steel crude oil pipeline and 59.4 miles of three to six inch diameter composite produced water pipeline. The proposed crude oil pipeline is designed with a capacity of 14,000 barrels of oil per day and the produced water line is designed with a capacity of 3,500 barrels per day. The pipelines would be buried underground and would follow existing pipeline and utility easements and corridors where feasible.